A MAN who was arrested within minutes of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Epping has today been jailed. 

Hadush Kebatu was jailed for 12 months – the maximum which can be given at a Magistrates’ Court – and was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order, which bans him from contacting any female not already known to him. 

He will also be on the sex offenders’ register for ten years which means he will be subject to strict monitoring for the whole of that time.

Kebatu was arrested after we received reports of a man behaving inappropriately towards a teenage girl in High Road at 5.20pm on Tuesday 8 July.

As a result of the work of officers in the hours after the arrest, separate offences which took place on Monday 7 July were then reported for the first time and an investigation was launched.

Overnight, the 41-year-old, with an address in High Road, Epping, was charged. 

He denied all offences during preliminary hearings and a three-day trial was held in Chelmsford and Colchester Magistrates’ Courts which finished on Thursday 4 September.

The court heard that on 7 July Kebatu tried to kiss the teenage girl on a bench whilst also asking her to kiss him. He also made numerous sexually explicit comments.

The following afternoon, on 8 July, Kebatu encountered the same girl and again tried to kiss her before sexually assaulting her. He also made further sexually explicit comments despite being told the girl’s age and the fact that she was wearing her school uniform.

Shortly before this interaction, Kebatu had sexually assaulted and attempted to kiss an adult woman who had offered to help him create a CV to find work.

When she then saw Kebatu also interacting inappropriately with the teenage girl, she called 999 and he was quickly arrested.

District Judge Christopher Williams found Kebatu guilty of:

• two counts of sexual assault
• ·one count of attempted sexual assault  
• ·one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity; and
• ·one count of harassment without violence

Kebatu was sentenced today, Tuesday 23 September, at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court to 12 months in prison and was made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order, which bans him for approaching or contacting any female. 

He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for ten years. 

Essex Police Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: “This conviction has only been achieved because of the bravery of two women who were the victim of sexual offences and felt they could come to us for help. 

“They came forward and trusted us with their experience and today I want to say a personal thank you to them for their courage. 

“As a result of the strong connections with the Crown Prosecution Service and the key witness statements, Kebatu’s version of events in Epping was completely discredited.”

ACC Hooper added: “I don’t think the public could expect me to speak on this case without also addressing the wider issues which it has raised in Epping and further afield. 

“Many people have wanted to make their voices heard legitimately on these issues. Some, however, have used them as a reason to commit crime and to carry out disorder and that’s not acceptable. 

“No crime can become an excuse for what we’ve seen at times in Epping throughout the summer.

“We’ve always said that we treat and investigate every report made to us without fear or favour. 

“This is what we at Essex Police do, all year round. We respond when people need us, we investigate crimes and we achieve convictions which protect the public.”